Bicycle MechanicsBroken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

i have a set of forks and the ends are way bigger than the diameter of the front axle. is there some sort of washer type thing that i can use to make things fit better? as it is, when i tighten down the bolts the wheel doesn't spin freely. the hub is a surly track hub with track nuts. thanks.

You're going to have to clear this up a bit. It sounds like this a rear hub, right, but thenyou say its the front axle? Is the hub too wide? Too narrow? Is the diameter of the axle itself the problem, or the width of the hub? What kind of bike/fork are we talking about?

i have built up a set of 20" wheels on surly track hubs, front and rear. the front axle diameter is 9mm. the fork i am using is a modified bmx fork with an extra long steerer. bmx hubs, as far as i know, generally have an axle with a larger diameter than 9mm, i've seen them as big as 19.5mm but who knows, perhaps they get bigger still. therefore, the fork ends are much wider in order to accomodate a larger diameter axle.

the problem is this... when i tighten down the front wheel (it's not quick release, it uses track nuts), the wheel doesn't spin freely. i am wondering if the difference in axle diameter and the fork end diameter could be the problem. and if so, is there some sort of washer type thing i could use to rectify the problem?

If the inside if the fork dropout is bearing against the hub locknut,I don't know what the issue would be.You are in a better position to see what could be causing any interference that might exist and how to fix it, like possibly a bigger washer.

If your front hub has a solid axle and nuts, rather than a quick release, then tightening the nuts should not affect how freely the wheel spins. Sounds like either the fork is touching some moving part of the wheel, or the cone and locknuts are not properly tightened. Take the wheel off and make sure those inner nuts don't unscrew by hand.

Or, if the axle moves around in the fork when you tighten it, maybe the rim is ending up off-center in the fork, and the rim is rubbing the brake pad or the tire is rubbing the fork. I have this problem on my track bike - my front hub has a slotted axle, so the axle rotates and the wheel slips out of center when I tighten the nuts. To solve the problem, push down on the handlebars while you tighten the nuts. (you should always have the bike on its wheels when you tighten the nuts or quick release skewers)

If your front hub has a solid axle and nuts, rather than a quick release, then tightening the nuts should not affect how freely the wheel spins. Sounds like either the fork is touching some moving part of the wheel, or the cone and locknuts are not properly tightened. Take the wheel off and make sure those inner nuts don't unscrew by hand.

Or, if the axle moves around in the fork when you tighten it, maybe the rim is ending up off-center in the fork, and the rim is rubbing the brake pad or the tire is rubbing the fork. I have this problem on my track bike - my front hub has a slotted axle, so the axle rotates and the wheel slips out of center when I tighten the nuts. To solve the problem, push down on the handlebars while you tighten the nuts. (you should always have the bike on its wheels when you tighten the nuts or quick release skewers)

cones and locknuts are tight.
rim/tire isn't touching anything. there's no front brake and plenty of clearance between the fork and tire.
i'm slightly perplexed.